Was the loudest I’d ever heard the crowd (to that point)- right after 9/11. Was wild.

Will miss you, Mariano

WWMRD

Man…..I totally lost it when Mo started crying on Pettitte’s shoulder. That was incredible.

FIPster Doofus

One of the greatest things I’ve ever seen in sports, almost singlehandedly washing away the negatives of this season.

WhittakerWalt

Sorry, forensic ain’t buying it.

Tea Roll

Well done. Nicely sums up this season of comment section.

I’d add ‘Kramerica ain’t buying it either and it’s got something to do with him being pissed at having to live in Tampa.’

forensic

Ain’t buying what? I said it was nice, it sucks that he’s gone, and that Girardi shouldn’t bother lying through his teeth about how he’s going to treat situations like this.

I must’ve missed the memo where I have to overeact and say I feel like I’m dying because a baseball player is retiring. Or that 10 minutes of video makes up for however frustrating a person may have found this season. Sorry, I see and deal with far worse stuff than this everyday, and I’m not going to freak out about this like I think many are.

It will look very different next year, and it’ll be weird, but this is baseball and sports. Players move on and the sport carries on. I don’t think any single player is bigger than a franchise or team. I appreciate what he’s done, and I’ll have my memories of him, but I don’t need hours and hours of a lovefest to shove it down my throat. Play and broadcast the game (at least) mostly normally. I don’t need to hear broadcasters crying, asking for tissues, and cracking their voices.

One player (well, two if you count Pettitte) is retiring. The sport isn’t being disbanded.

Steve

This exactly. Mariano was a great player. Seems like a great person. Why do we have to elevate it further than that?

Darren

From the rest of the comments, it looks like your hardhearted curmudgeon act is in the minority

forensic

That’s fine, it’s my opinion and those are their’s, but I’m entitled to my opinion without trying to be called out for it for no reason. I never even posted in this thread, yet it only took until the 5th comment for there to be wise-ass comments about it.

And how is this a ‘hardhearted curmudgeon act’? I’m not old (compared to most people here). I’m not angry about it. I just think some people are really overreacting to it. I’m not disputing that I’m generally not an overly emotional person, for several reasons, but maybe they haven’t experienced enough of real life to get proper perspective yet.

Darren

In all seriousness, with no snark, it’s always good to get all kinds of opinions, and you are 100% entitled to yours. And the word “act” was not appropriate.

But I can say with full certainty that being sad about Mo’s retirement is no less a part of real life than anything else. We watched him for 7 months a year for 20 years. Having extremely strong emotions about never again being able to enjoy his otherworldly talent, poise and class seems pretty reasonable to me.

Chris W

I’m an ICU doctor. I was moved. And I think trying to trump other people’s emotions with lines like “Sorry, I see and deal with far worse stuff than this every day” is bush league.

Alan

I’m in Florida and they had the game on at the restaurant I was at for dinner, presumably for the Rays game. I nearly started bawling when I saw the exit. My girlfriend started crying when I told her it was Mo’s last home game. Andy and Derek coming to the mound for the exit, the tip of the hat, all of it gave me chills. I just watched the replay of the exit and Alex almost having to push Rivera out onto the field for the curtain call was spectacular.

Missing the postseason sucks, but getting to watch moments like this makes me so happy I’m a Yankees fan.

hogsmog

That’s the last time they’ll play that song… except for old timer’s day I guess.

Fuck. That guy’s been closing games since before I could do long division.

I felt like my childhood is finally ending,I can’t remember a part of my life where Mo wasn’t closing out games.

CashmanNinja

That’s the saddest part. I remember Wetteland and all, but Mo has just been around forever it seems. It just won’t feel like it used to. Growing up it’s always been Mo in the 9th. Through all of the things that have gone on in my life, the good and the bad, he’s always been the closer through that time span. I suddenly feel really old.

https://twitter.com/Erica_Lynnnn Erica

Yup. Everything feels a little different.

I’m a looser baby so why don’t you kill me?

Hell I’m in my 40’s and feel that way!

Matt DiBari

I’m actually glad the Yankees were eliminated last night. If I had spent this game worrying about the Yankees losing another non competitive game in a pennant race it would have ruined one of the great baseball moments of our time. I saw it live and I’ll remember that much longer than Delmon Young’s home run.

Also, I got myself a Mariano Rivera retirement jersey, and a little stuffed rabbit for my dog to chew. I named it Hughesy. (If it was a bigger doll I would have called it Joba. ) a successful night all around.

Darren

That’s a great point. Once we weren’t gonna make the playoffs, I’m glad tonight could be totally about Mo (and Andy). Beautifully done.

of course, part of me is wondering what would happen if the Yankees are doing great next August…and their closer goes down….and they give Mo a call…

https://twitter.com/Erica_Lynnnn Erica

This was so beautiful. I think I have an ulcer.

Thank you for everything, Mo. Just… thank you. First name Greatest, Last name EVER.

Robinson Tilapia

+ One gazillion.

wow

im one of the young fans but that made me tear and ill miss that man he was the greatest thank you Mariano Rivera for always doing your best and being a class act :’)

Kevin

I’ll also say this,for once,Suzyn will get a pass from me for crying on the air.
Kinda hard to make fun of her when you’re doing the same thing at home.

Patryk

So true Kevin. Nothing has ever moved me like that in any sport, ever.

Jimmy McNulty

I’m trying to think of modern sports memories that could compete. I would say Jordan but that guy was a gambling philanderer and an all around ass wipe. It wasn’t arrogance, he’s the greatest basketball player of all time, he deserved to be confident, but he was most certainly a bigger asshole than someone like Willie Mays, who was also a great of his sport. Also worse than LeBron, surprisingly. Mo was a great guy who no one could say anything bad about. Elway retiring after his second SB might come close, but that’s all I can think of. So many great athletes stay way past their primes, or screw themselves up on something.

Oscar De La Hoya, who was a legitimate all time great and a beloved figure for Mexican fans, could have been better had he not had the personal demons that led him to drugs and alcohol and abused his body. Beloved athletes in combat sports in general always stay around way beyond their ability to roll with a punch. Rivera still stayed in tip top shape even after his 19th season in the major leagues as well as his off the field. Other greats like Emmitt Smith, not only stayed around too long but changed teams…something else Rivera didn’t do. This is truly a special moment in sports, one that we’re not likely to witness again anytime soon.

Nathan

This grown man doesn’t cry much but I cried when I saw Mariano on Andy’s shoulder.

http://www.penuel-law.com/ Cuso

So I’ve been pretty hard-hearted about the final tour. Not heartless, but not being overwhelmed. The stuff on Sunday was cool, but I didn’t get wistful or anything.

I don’t know if it’s my age (36) or that I was just as “into” each game in ’86 as I was in ’96 as I was in ’06.

But tonight….tonight was gut-wrenching to watch that. Tonight, I felt that. Everything MLB and Yankees FO were force-feeding me out of self-serving intentions….tonight it hit. It was genuine tonight. And you could tell because to look at Mo tonight vs. Citifield vs. Fenway EVEN vs. Mariano Rivera day on Sunday…..it didn’t faze him much…until tonight.

Thanks, Mo.

#42 forever

Robinson Tilapia

This all felt different to me, though. Every stop. Every chair made of broken bats, etc. No one I’ve seen has received this much love from every stadium he’s stepped foot in.

Agreed on everything else. Just wow.

http://www.penuel-law.com/ Cuso

Don’t get me wrong. It was very respectful what all the teams did on this trip. It was extremely cool how Mo did his little visits to different behind-the-scenes people.

But specifically, you could tell tonight hit Mo harder than any stop or any ovation all year. The only visible tears he shed all season came tonight.

Eddard

What a disservice this organization did to this great man not to give him one last chance at the postseason and that elusive 6th ring. Ownership needs to make a regime change so someone pays for this. Two sure fire hall of famers in Andy and Mo are forced to go out on this sorry excuse for a ballclub. It just isn’t right. Hopefully things go better next year for Jeter.

Eddard

But I do think Girardi’s one good move this season was sending out Derek and Andy to get Mo. Those are 3 class ballplayers and all are sure fire hall of famers. Too bad they couldn’t all 3 retire and go into the HOF together, possibly with Jorgie if he gets held back a couple years.

Chris

dude. Pettitte is not making the hall, and he is definitely not a “sure fire” hall of famer if so. take off the pinstripe glasses

39 years old. Yankee fan all my life. No one has ever made me prouder of being a Yankee fan than Mariano Rivera, the greatest baseball player I’ve had the owner of watching.

Thank you. They can find someone who can close a game, but they will never find someone who can fill your shoes.

Robinson Tilapia

“honor,” but you get the point.

http://www.penuel-law.com/ Cuso

Donnie Baseball will always be that guy for me, no matter what.

But I can’t sit here and argue the point. The class of Mo is second to no human. Not talking baseball players – talking humans.

Jason Tabrys

I saw Mariano Rivera pitch when I was at an age where I could still turn a ballplayer into a hero in my mind. He is the last.

Get Phelps Up

Mariano made his debut the day before I turned 2 years old. I don’t really have anything to say right now other than to say how happy I am to be able to have grown up in this era of Yankees baseball. Thank you Mo and thank you Andy for all of the great moments you have given us.

cr1

Always the stoic in public, through good and bad alike — until tonight.

He knew the cameras were there but didn’t care. He is who he is.

“The angels do not care from what angle they are regarded.” Which poet wrote that? Can’t remember but that was the line I remembered when the camera pulled in to his very eyelashes while he cried on Jeter’s shoulder.

ropeadope

In Praise of Limestone – W. H. Auden (May 1948)

The blessed will not care what angle they are regarded from,
Having nothing to hide.

Jersey Joe

I am a 16 year old from NJ.

I really got into the Yankees at age 7 in 2004 – it’s funny to think that Mo was less than halfway through his closing career at that point.

Early on, I didn’t really appreciate Mo. I knew he was the closer, but not much else. As an 8 year old, I wasn’t really aware of his skill because he was never a player backyard baseball (Jeter, Rodriguez) and I never stayed up until 9:45 to watch him close.

As the years went by and the teams got worse, I noticed how much Rivera meant to the team. Even as the team declined into the mid-late 2000s, Mo was there. In 2009 when they won it all, Mo was there. Into the early 2010s, Mo was still there. He was there during the beginning and the end of the dynasty years (’96-’04).

Mo was something as consistent as the sun rising every day; few injuries, few ugly appearance, and a whole lot of saves.

I haven’t been alive during a time when he was not closer.

I teared up during the postgame. Life as a Yankees fan will never be the same.

Thank you Mo. For everything.

Gonzo

Thanks for sharing. We saw the best. We’re lucky.

Casey

One of my favorite parts of the whole thing was looking from Mo to Pettitte to Jeter to JR Murphy. I almost laughed a bit when I saw the look on Murphy’s face. The other three earned being on that mound tonight with twenty years of excellence, and he happens to be out there through good fortune. I think it is cool that he will have that memory for the rest of his life, even if he never turns into much of a player.

Gonzo

I thought JR’s look was great too. I wish someone asks him what he was thinking.

I’m a looser baby so why don’t you kill me?

“Dude where’s my hug?!?”

David N

I was there tonight, I somehow managed to hold things together, probably because I was too busy taking everything in and I wanted to make sure he got all the applause he deserved.

Now that I’m home, and I’m watching those videos…forget it.

Thanks, Mariano, for being the player you were and the person you were, and for all the great moments you’ve given us. Can’t wait to see your plaque in Cooperstown.

mustang

I remember one of Mo’s first interviews after a relief appearance a reporter asked him can you see yourself in this role for the Yankees he said “No. I’m a starter”.

LOL

One of the few times that Mo was off the plate. I’m just blessed as a fan to have been here to witness it.

Thank you is just not good enough.

MB923

Just got back home from the game. What an amazing experience. #42 will always be #1.

Dan in Athens

Hate to go old man on folks, because this was terrific. But go youtube Mickey’s funeral, Gerhig’s speech and Bobby’s game after the death of the Captain.

There is a reason this is the greatest team in the history of sports. Tonight just added to that tradition.

Class Act Mo. Thank you for everything.

https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

Hell, I know he’s become persona non-grata around here, but lets not forget Swisher in the first home game after the Boss died.

Tied the game with a HR in the 8th. Won it with two outs in the 9th. That was special.

Leewhet Mondei

Nicholas Swisher is not a persona non-grata, he is just a person whom we very well may not have signed and did not, which was probably for the better anyway.

He did have a way of performing poorly when it mattered, which would help make him non grata, but that wasn’t what it was about. It was more about, is Nicholas Swisher’s overall production enough worth it to answer the contract demands that he is going to be able to make, relative to the contract demands that are going to be able to be made by other outfielders, and the production that they can make relative to their contract demands.

Of course, you could say, that productive efficiency relative to contract does not matter much to me, because I am not the man paying the money, and I would agree, and I would agree that Hal and Hank are cheap fucks.

But so far as we are pretending that profit matters to us, then sure, Nicholas Swisher would not have been a great signing, as bourn out by his production this year. We do miss his switch hitting capacity, I think, because of how unbalanced (both ways) our lineup got at times. But would that have been an issue of Tex had shown up to play? Perhaps not.

I guess maybe he is a persona non-grata who thought Nicholas Swisher was a little bitch for getting upset at the people who booed him for sucking ass when it mattered last year. But, if he showed up and produced, I would have forgiven him his little bitch-fit.

Jimmy McNulty

Nicholas Swisher is not a persona non-grata, he is just a person whom we very well may not have signed and did not, which was probably for the better anyway.

Well considering that they ended up paying Ichiro and Vernon wells the same money they paid Swisher, I’d say it was not for the better.

vicki

you’re not stupid. abstruse, sure. not stupid.

swish was playing hurt all season. and he was still worth his contract. will remain for its duration.

thanks for the syllables, though.

Jim Is A (Bored) Peckerhead

Get this shit out of this thread.

http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

How many more handles are you going to use in the thread this time? You’re pathetic.

Jimmy McNulty

Ugh, while I may have an ulcer it still feels like someone just dropped a grenade in my gut for other reasons. Rivera’s been closing for the Yankees as long as I’ve been watching baseball. Things just won’t be the same. It’s cliche but true.

I’m just disgusted that Rivera couldn’t have gotten a playoff run in his last season, that’s just such a sour taste. He deserved better than to go out on a season like this. Yeah yeah, injuries, A-Rod’s stupid contract, etc. Still…it’s sad he couldn’t go out on top. I mean for godssake that asshole Ted Williams got to hit a home run in his last at bat, and Rivera can’t get a playoff run? You disgust me baseball gods.

Anyways, enough of that brand of negativity. I certainly feel sorry for the poor bastard that has to close for the Yankees next year. I think the fans, well the ones that don’t listen to the Fan anyways, are smart enough to realize that they just got to witness something truly special that they won’t ever see again. Hell, their children and grandchildren probably won’t get to see something like Mariano Rivera. More men have walked on the moon than have scored a run off of Mariano Rivera in the post season. Think about that, scoring a run off of Mo in October is a more elite club than a literally out of this world achievement. So hopefully it won’t be like when LaTroy Hawkins wore 21 and morons got upset, when actually they should have been upset not that Hawkins was wearing 21, but that the guy got meaningful innings.

Truly the end of an era, one of the greatest of our time and unquestionably the greatest person in baseball. Not since Stan Musial has there been an athlete that combined the greatness and humility that Mariano Rivera did. He personified class, when other closers fist pump and act like assholes while celebrating the miracle of recording three outs before they allow two runs, Rivera always handled things with class and humility. If there’s someone in baseball that should wear 42, it’s him. I’m almost hoping he doesn’t enjoy retirement as much as he thinks he will and comes back in 2015. It’s a completely selfish urge, but I am a fan of greatness and like to appreciate it when it’s in front of me. I’ll always want to see Mariano Rivera pitch one more time. It’s like when the band just gets done with the encore, you always want one more song.

Anyways, something I’ve been wondering: who has it worse? The guy who has to close for the Yankees next year or the guy that follows Vin Scully?

Felton Pearswhat

Can we can all the classist ‘class’ bullshit? When people talk about how Mo had class, they just mean ‘We’re happy to find a Negro who doesn’t celebrate too much when they beat us’. All that shit about Mo is just racist garbage, which unfortunately is a huge part of what sports media is all about.

Jimmy McNulty

That couldn’t be further from the truth. Papelbon, Joba, and Gagne were all grade A asswipes and had a low concentration of melon in their skin.

The Yankees’ victory parade in the city was canceled, and Enrique Wilson, the Yankees’ utility infielder, changed his flight back to the Dominican Republic. The plane Wilson was initially scheduled for—American Airlines Flight 587—crashed in Queens, killing all 260 passengers.

Wilson saw Rivera the next spring, and they talked about the twist of fate. If Rivera had closed out the Diamondbacks in the bottom of the ninth of Game 7, Wilson would have, in all likelihood, been on the plane that went down. For Rivera, this was further confirmation that he and his teammates were all subject to God’s will. “I’m glad we lost the World Series,” Rivera said, “because it means that I still have a friend.”

“For Rivera, this was further confirmation that he and his teammates were all subject to God’s will.”

Except for David Wells.

BFDeal

Wow. Just when I think I’ve read the dumbest comment on this site, a new contender pops up.

LazzariScooter

Thank the good Lord Jesus Christ for giving us the eternal blessing of Mariano Rivera for these past two decades of unprecedented glory and wonder. If anything we know the real source behind the classiest and honorable Mariano was found in the Holy Bible and as lifelong Catholic that always inspires me to watch him save each celebrated victory. For Mariano understood, like I do, that a life in Christ will empower to accomplish great deeds in our time here. Thank you for your humilty, compassion and glory on the diamond and in the community.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
-Philippians 4:13

Steinbrenner’s Ghost

who does the Devil empower, besides Ortiz?

Eddie Spaghetti

If it weren’t for Christ, the Yankees would have five fewer championships. Consider THAT, all you heathens and atheists.

Casey

Correction. They would have 27 fewer championships if it weren’t for Christ.

Papajohn23

The power of Christ compels you… to swing.
The power of Christ compels you… to swing.
The power of Christ compels you… to swing.

Steinbrenner’s Ghost

But the Scriptures say Christ is an Angels fan.

The even made a movie about it. Christ moves the foul pole so they can win the pennant.

http://brandonmauk.wordpress.com Brandon

Mariano made his big league debut on my first birthday, and I do happen to remember much of the late 90’s. When Andy and Derek embraced Mo and he started tearing up I started crying. I think my childhood ended last night. It will be official when Jeter is gone.

Chris z

Boy…this is harder than I thought . I was so excited for the game. Just to be part of the chosen few to witness his last game and cheer him off the mound made work impossible. The game itself didn’t matter. We were all excited for mo. It was over before we knew it.

Dave matthews wrote a song (very tacky but it fits) called “I need a word” which says over and over “I need a word so I can say how I’m feeling today, I need a word so I can say how I feel”. My wife uses it as her alarm. When I heard it this AM instantly I thought of last night and how I didn’t and still don’t know how or what to feel. I am proud of rivera, sad to see him go, depressed even that his exit represents so much more.

Mainly I am worried. Worried that the ball Mo took off the mound was the last ball that meant anything to yankee fans for a long time. Once Jeter has his day in the sun at the stadium I am worried that reasons to go to Yankee Stadium will be far and few between for the future.

Rivera doesn’t just represent an end of the dynasty era, his exit represents a change of the guard. Only we don’t know who they changed it to or if ownership wants a new guard or a bunch of mercenaries.

All in all it was a night that was very hard to put into perspective. Thank you Mariano Rivera. Thank you.

Mike HC

What a great moment. That send off will definitely live on for many years. An all time great video.

BB

What the… who’s cutting onions over here!? Man, that was a great moment.

will

Still remember in 97 i think, him in bradenton signing a baseball in front of me, nobody was pushing, nobody was near me, just mariano rivera signing my ball for 30-45 seconds nice and slow like he’s never done it before. Very long cursive signature, not sure how it is now.

JLC 776

Very sad night. Mo, Pettitte, Hughes, Cano, and possibly Jeter all in pinstripes for the last time…

I don’t envy David Robertson. He’s got a huge burden on his shoulders starting next season and he will be under tremendous pressure and scrutiny following the greatest closer of all time. Good Luck David!

http://twitter.com/#!/Clay_Bellinger Clay Bellinger

Tough to sleep much after that one last night.

KenM

I haven’t been this depressed about a Yankee retirement since 1995. This might even have been worse.

Rizi Walnutz

Right from when Derek and Andy showed up, until Mo disappeared into the clubhouse with a cup of dirt in his hand, that was one of the most straight from the heart riveting series of moments I’ve ever witnessed. I was born in 1950 and raised on University Avenue, so I’ve seen some shit, but that ranked right at the top. I don’t know what voodoo is in Yankeeland that they keep having moments like this, but no other team in sports even comes close to the magic the Yankees manage to conjure when its time to carve myths into the cliffs of baseball immortality.

http://kfunaro.com Karen Funaro

As a die hard Yankee fan, it is truly devestating to say farewell to Mariano Rivera. He truly was a class act.